EoY Looming, Rookery Life

As the end of the year approaches various organisations start their individual annual reviews and group celebrations. Duolingo sent me their version where, for the second year in a row, I was among their top 0.1% of global learners. I celebrated that by sending them an email about how I am not renewing my subscription after several years, which actually ends today. Reddit, an environment where I have had an account for twelve years, but rarely touched, has found me in the top 1% of "Karma" earners this year. I have found that Reddit is a lot better for group discussions, especially after FB has made such a mess of groups. After for organisations in the real world, a few days ago was the EoY lunch for Research Computing Services, and at the end of the week Business Services will be hosting an event at the Natural History Bar, which looks like my sort of place. It will be the fourth event of the week, with Kerrie's birthday gathering on Thursday, the local ALP branch hosting an event the evening before, and the NTEU having on tonight. Obviously, I'm going to have to pass myself quite carefully!

Whilst Melbourne is grudgingly dragging itself into summer I've taken the opportunity to revive my balcony garden. The indoor plants in the study are thriving, but the it's been a bit more of a challenge outside. The doves continue to provide entertainment regardless. Erica H, with a few matters on their mind, has been in my company a fair bit in recent days and with a knowledge of good popular culture far superior to mine, has introduced me to Umbrella Academy, a Victorian-styled dysfunctional superhero family. Among all this I continue with my cognitive science studies which finally has become slightly interesting with cognitive approaches to addiction (in comparison step-wise variation in sense perception and optical illusions just don't interest me) and my application for the next degree, a Master of Climate Change Science and Policy has been accepted for 2023.